Reader,
"I’ve tried everything and nothing is working."
I was at a networking event a few weeks ago where we were hot seating around business challenges.
The woman sharing was running a very well established business, and I could feel the pain and frustration in her voice as she walked through the challenge she was facing and everything she had been doing to fix it…
As I looked around the Zoom room, I could see heads nodding. As the call went on, many of the business owners in the room expressed a similar frustration.
And in every event since then, I've heard some variation of this over and over again.
“This has been my hardest year.”
"Revenue is down by 40%"
"I barely made payroll this month."
"I can't figure out what's wrong, and I don't know what to do."
As I’ve reflected on this and the advice people were giving... everything from be more visible, network more, ask for more referrals, take a step back and get grounded, I couldn’t help but think…
Yeahhhh, maybe.
But is more hustle actually going to help?
LBR... that's almost certainly NOT the problem.
What if you can’t see the problem because you’re way too close to it?
As a strategist, this is the work I do. I get under the hood of your business with you. I ask a lot of questions, do my own audit of the business, and we dig in together to find the root of the problem and build a plan to fix it.
Too often founders (I've been here, too) are doing their best, doing what conventional wisdom says (aka hustle harder, network more, delegate more....), but without getting to the actual problem all you're doing is throwing spaghetti at the wall and not really giving any one noodle a chance to stick, much less the right noodle.
This week marks the beginning of a new series - Businesses at a Crossroads - and my aim with this is to help you unpack where you are in your own business, talk through some of the most common chokepoints, and how to know when to dig deeper.
We're navigating some of the worst VUCA - volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity - I've seen in my 20+ years as a business and leadership strategist, and when you add in that it feels hard to know who to trust and what the right path is, it can feel incredibly overwhelming.
Over the next 5 weeks, I'll be sharing additional resources with you. Let's cut through the noise together.
xo,
Jess
P.S. if you haven't, take the 5 question diagnostic to help you unpack the crossroads you're at. www.jessicasato.com/diagnostic
2 Ways to Work With Jess
The Founder's Strategy Intensive
Revenue's down, your pipeline's nearly dry, and nothing you're doing to fix it is landing.
The FSI is a 1:1 intensive for founders who need more than another tactic. I audit your business from the outside, we spend 2.5 hours going deep together, and you leave with a report, a real action plan, and 60 days of support while you put it into motion.
A few spots are open this round and closing September 11. Secure your spot here!
Strategic Business Advisory
When you're navigating big, consequential moments in your life and business, and you need ongoing strategic partnership, this is for you. Get started here.
Upcoming Events
Social Impact Roundtable
Navigating the tension between purpose + profit? Doing good in the world and doing good in your business? This is the place for you!
This event is free and helped on the 3rd Wednesday each month at 9am Denver Mountain / 11am Eastern.
Register at www.jessicasato.com/roundtable
Solo Consultant Summit
What's setting solo consultants apart right now?
We often think it's the external things like a fancy offer, great branding, or a super navigable website. Those things are important, but they aren't the differentiator for most people.
It's actually the values-led, conviction-driven vision you're building toward... and more importantly, willing to say out loud and stand behind.
I'll be part of the consultant panel at the Solo Consultant Summit this September, making the case for building conviction-led, sustainable practices instead of the hustle-harder, scale-at-all-costs model that's burning so many of us out.
It's free and virtual, September 14–16.
Get your free ticket here! Use JESS for a 15% discount on any upgrades!
The Funference
If you've been wrestling with the big questions... whether to pivot, restructure, refine, or walk away from your business, you do not want to miss this event.
I’m excited to lead "Hold, Fold, or Go All In: Name Your Business's Crossroads & Make the Move."
In this session, you'll diagnose where your business really is, pressure-test your options with other female founders, and leave with a plan and the accountability to act on it.
FunFerence is the annual gathering of The Dames, the international peer growth ecosystem for women leading 6-, 7-, and 8-figure businesses.
If you're at a crossroads and tired of trying to figure it out alone at 2am, come sit at the table us.
Get your guest pass here!
October 8-11 in Denver, CO
Extraordinary Women Ignite
I'm excited to be attending the 12th annual Extraordinary Women IGNITE Conference, November 5-7, 2026!
This is an amazing community of women... and it's also where the idea for my Egypt Retreat had its beginnings.
I'll be attending right on the heels of the retreat, and I'm excited to share a little about our experience. What a full circle moment!
Learn more about attending Ignite here: https://bit.ly/EWIgnite
And I have one special Bring-a-Friend ticket available for the first person who reaches out to me.
RESOURCES
Why Isn't It Working
Your brand new guide to diagnosing what isn't working in your business and why it all feels so heavy and misaligned. Grab it here!
Is Your Most Important Work Still Ahead Of You?
Take the quiz and find out. It takes three minutes and it will give you language for what you've been experiencing.
Podcast Appearances & Featured Articles
I've been talking a lot lately about alignment, big ideas, impact, and how we bring it all together into a business that allows us to thrive. You can catch all of those here!
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